Physics

Coulomb parameters are key for understanding the exchange mechanism in magnetic materials. In this work, we investigate the reasonable Coulomb parameters in the proposed candidate of Kitaev material CoTiO3 . Applying the constrained random-phase approximation (cRPA) method, we specify the lower limit of the direct Coulomb interaction U and the upper limit of Hund's rule exchange J_H . Adopting the cRPA Coulomb parameters combined with the material-specific hopping parameters, we calculate the d-d superexchange couplings in CoTiO3 by the many-body perturbation theory. We show that the d-d superexchanges are insufficient to interpret the dominant ferromagnetic couplings in CoTiO3 . Therefore other contributions, e.g., charge-transfer related processes, are necessary.

Palbociclib (PLB), a US FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitor, is limited by poor aqueous solubility (BCS II), impairing its local therapeutic potential. We developed and optimized palbociclib nanocrystals (PLB NCs), which were then loaded into a thermoresponsive poloxamer-based in situ gel to achieve localized, sustained intratumoral delivery and enhanced anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. PLB NCs were developed using a combined bottom-up/top-down approach (antisolvent precipitation followed by microfluidization). OFAT optimization found THF as the best solvent and Tween-80/HPC-M as stabilizers. NCs were characterized by DLS, zeta potential, FTIR, PXRD, DSC, SEM, BET, residual solvent analysis, saturation solubility, and in vitro dissolution. Optimized PLB NCs showed a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 185.7 ± 12.9 nm, PDI 0.213 ± 0.033, and zeta potential −18.3 ± 1.6 mV; microfluidization at 24,000 psi for four cycles produced the smallest particle 177.8 ± 0.8 nm (PDI 0.195). At physiological pH, the PLB NC demonstrated a solubility increase of 3.31 times. In comparison to free PLB, PLB NCs exhibited 0.96- and 0.76-fold higher cytotoxicity and 0.7- and 1.15-fold greater quantitative uptake in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. Furthermore, PLB NCs displayed marked morphological/apoptotic changes, reduced migration, and a 5.3-fold rise in ROS generation. The optimized thermogel, gelled at 36.8 ± 0.5 °C, showed suitable rheology and gel strength, and provided sustained PLB release for 72 h with reduced initial systemic release. This CDK4/6 inhibitor-based intratumoral platform has promising potential to enhance local therapeutic outcomes and reduce systemic toxicity in breast cancer treatment.

Luminescent metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have garnered substantial attention owing to their applications in the anticounterfeiting and bioimaging domains. Nevertheless, numerous MOFs still face challenges, including low luminescence efficiency and short luminescence lifetimes. The unique electronic properties of fluorine (F) atoms render them highly suitable for improving the luminescence performance of MOFs. In this study, two Cd-based MOFs, namely 2F-DA-MOF and DA-MOF, are synthesized using 2-fluoroterephthalic acid (2F-DA) and terephthalic acid (DA). The results suggest that the integration of F atoms into the ligands of the MOFs facilitates intermolecular interlocking and inhibits nonradiative transitions through C–H···F and C–F···F interactions. As a result, the photoluminescence quantum yield is substantially increased from 3.6% to 37.0%. Additionally, these noncovalent interactions contribute to the multipath millisecond-level luminescence of MOFs, demonstrating excitation-dependent long persistent luminescence with a wide range of tunable emissions spanning from cyan to yellow. Density functional theory calculations confirm that F atoms enhance the material properties by modulating the electron distribution and energy band structure. This research presents a valuable strategy for developing high-performance luminescent MOF materials, expanding the potential applications of MOFs in anticounterfeiting and information encryption.

Polymorph screening is essential in pharmaceutical development to ensure the selection of optimal solid forms for active pharmaceutical ingredients. Here, we report an integrated crystal structure prediction and an experimental approach to map the polymorphic landscape of GTA182, a novel PRMT5 inhibitor. Computational energy landscape analysis identified low-energy structures corresponding to three experimentally observed anhydrous forms and revealed additional more stable forms not accessed by conventional screening. Although not the most thermodynamically stable form at room temperature, Form A emerged as the kinetically favored polymorph in crystallization experiments, a finding rationalized by a solution-based crystallization tendency analysis. Its predicted structure was confirmed by microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED). This combined strategy guided targeted experimental screening, leading to the identification of 19 solid forms (anhydrates, hydrates, and solvates) and validating the predicted stability relationship between Forms A and O. The study establishes a practical workflow for derisking polymorph selection in drug development by providing critical insights into the interplay of thermodynamics and kinetics in crystalline form landscapes.

The integration of ultrathin dielectrics on two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors is essential for advancing beyond-Si electronics. However, the intrinsic inertness of van der Waals 2D basal planes remains a primary bottleneck to achieving uniform dielectric nucleation and growth. Here, we introduce a small molecule inhibitor (SMI)-modulated thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) strategy, exemplified by aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) ALD on monolayer molybdenum disulfide (1L MoS₂) with acetic acid (HAc) SMI. The ABC-type sequence comprises HAc inhibitor (A), trimethylaluminum (TMA) precursor (B), and deionized H₂O coreactant (C). In situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) studies reveal robust HAc adsorption on Al₂O₃ and suppression of subsequent oxide growth on HAc-passivated surfaces. When applied to 1L MoS₂, this inhibitory pathway enables HAc to selectively passivate nascent Al₂O₃ nuclei formed on the MoS₂ surface, limiting their three-dimensional (3D) island coarsening and redirecting precursor adsorption toward the uncovered basal plane. Consequently, nearly continuous ultrathin (∼1.5 nm) Al₂O₃ films are achieved on 1L MoS₂ with markedly improved uniformity compared to standard Al₂O₃ ALD using TMA and H₂O, as validated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further provide atomistic insight into HAc-modulated Al₂O₃ nucleation, corroborating the energetic preference of HAc for Al₂O₃ over MoS₂ and attenuated TMA adsorption on HAc-passivated surfaces. Spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy also confirms that the HAc-modulated process preserves the structural integrity of 1L MoS₂, with only minimal strain and doping perturbations observed after dielectric deposition. This SMI-modulated approach offers a broadly applicable framework for controlling ALD nucleation across various inhibitors, ALD chemistries, and 2D materials, opening opportunities for reliable dielectric integration in next-generation nanoelectronics.

Diabetic ulcers (DUs) are a main category of nonhealing chronic wounds that tend to be vulnerable and prone to recurrence, posing a significant clinical challenge for DUs healing. DUs are frequently plagued by bacterial infections, oxidative stress, persistent inflammation, suppressed angiogenesis, and reduced growth factor expression, ultimately leading to persistent barriers to tissue regeneration and even amputation. Herein, we developed a multifunctional polysaccharide-based conductive hydrogel microneedle patch (MN-EP) integrating hyaluronic acid (HA) needle shafts, carboxymethyl chitosan-oxidized HA (CMCS-OHA) hydrogel backing, and oregano essential oil (OEO)-loaded polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles (EP NPs). MN-EP exhibited sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate stratum corneum, favorable conductivity matching skin tissue due to EP NPs, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity (nearly 100% against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>), and potent antioxidant capacity. It was demonstrated that MN-EP can scavenge intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), induce macrophage polarization toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, and promote fibroblast migration. In diabetic rats with infected full-thickness wounds, the electroactive MN-EP effectively eliminated harmful microorganisms at the wound site and modulated the immune microenvironment, thereby accelerating the resolution of inflammation, enhancing collagen deposition, and upregulating angiogenesis markers (CD31, VEGF), which promoted vascular and tissue regeneration and accelerated wound closure (98.28% by day 14). Overall, the multifunctional conductive hydrogel microneedle platform with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and pro-angiogenic properties represents a promising strategy for infected chronic diabetic wound healing.

Tailoring at will polar textures in ferroelectrics is critical for the development of nanoscale electronics and functional oxide technologies. Freestanding ferroelectric membranes have enabled studies of strain-induced polarization responses, but the control over membrane shape and local polarization typically remains limited to spontaneous buckling or uniaxial mechanical deformations. In this work, we employ a versatile photosensitive-polymer patterning approach to impose programmable bending strain profiles in ferroelectric membranes. Using BaTiO₃ as a model system, we demonstrate deterministic 90° polarization rotation driven by engineered in-plane strain, and 180° polarization reversal arising from flexoelectric coupling through a controlled strain gradient. These results establish this programmable bending as a powerful approach to investigate strain-dependent domain structures, leverage flexoelectric effects, and engineer custom ferroelectric landscapes across a wide range of oxide membranes.

Appropriately pairing dispersants and solvents and tuning processing conditions yield high-quality, stable carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions; however, experimental investigation of this combinatorial design space is slow and nonsystematic. We report a machine-learning-based CNT dispersion optimizer that simultaneously considers dispersant, solvent, and the dispersion process to predict CNT dispersibility and crystallinity. The data set comprised 666 dispersions (36 organic dispersants, 22 solvents, and two dispersion methods) with systematic variations in composition and processing parameters. <i>D</i>_score and <i>I</i>_G/<i>I</i>_D quantified the dispersion quality and structural integrity, respectively. Using molecular descriptors, experimental variables, and solvent-dispersant similarity metrics as inputs, an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model achieved a coefficient of determination (<i>R</i>²) = 0.57, mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.08 for <i>D</i>_score and <i>R</i>² = 0.73, MAE = 9.84 for <i>I</i>_G/<i>I</i>_D. These correspond to mean absolute errors below 10% of the target ranges, indicating sufficient performance for screening-grade formulation design. Limited quantitative accuracy was displayed for dispersants outside the training set; solvent-dependent trends were reproduced, and practically useful formulations were identified. Virtual screening within the learned domain yielded improved formulations. SHapley Additive exPlanations and feature-group ablation revealed that <i>D</i>_score was governed primarily by solvent-dispersant compatibility encoded by similarity and distance-like descriptors, while <i>I</i>_G/<i>I</i>_D was dominated by process intensity. These elements constitute a CNT dispersion optimizer that efficiently prescreens formulation and processing conditions and can be extended to other nanomaterial dispersion systems. This prescreening framework reduces empirical trial-and-error and promotes solvent- and process-constrained formulation design by treating dispersions as enabling intermediate materials for the downstream manufacturing of films, fibers, and composites.

Efficient catalytic detoxification of nerve agents under atmospheric conditions is severely hindered by the lack of water and poor accessibility of catalytic sites. Herein, a polyamide 56 (PA56)-based nanonet membrane with spontaneous hygroscopicity and self-buffering capacity is designed for efficient catalytic detoxification of dimethyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP), a representative nerve agent simulant, which is fabricated by the in situ growth of metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66-NH₂) on a spider-web-like electrospun PA56 nanofibrous membrane, followed by the integration of hygroscopic LiCl and alkaline polyethylenimine (PEI). The unique 2D nanonet structure within the interfiber pores significantly increases the nucleation sites of UiO-66-NH₂ on the membrane, leading to a high MOF loading of 42.1 wt %, and thus a significantly shortened hydrolysis half-life of 2.8 min against DMNP in an aqueous solution. The synergistic hygroscopic effect of PEI and LiCl enables the membrane to achieve an atmospheric moisture uptake of up to 1.70 g g^-1, which in turn facilitates the diffusion of DMNP. As a result, in an atmospheric environment, DMNP can be eventually converted into the nontoxic products of dimethyl phosphate (72%) and methyl phosphate (28%), with a hydrolysis half-life of 1.9 h. Additionally, the lightweight catalytic membrane exhibits effective barrier protection against DMNP aerosol/droplets. This work provides a methodology for fabricating self-detoxifying wearable devices against chemical warfare agents under atmospheric conditions.

The development of smart nanoplatforms is a promising strategy to improve the utilization and stability of pesticides in sustainable agriculture. Herein, we use hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) as nanocarriers, loaded with resveratrol (Res), and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) coatings as gatekeepers to construct a pathogen microenvironment-responsive fungicide nanoplatform, namely, Res@HMSN@ZIF-8, for control of <i>Botrytis cinerea</i>. ZIF-8, as an acid-unstable framework, endows Res@HMSN@ZIF-8 with pH-responsive properties, enabling the controlled release of Res under acidic conditions. Both <i>in vitro</i> and pot experiments demonstrate that the Res@HMSN@ZIF-8 material not only effectively inhibits the growth of <i>B. cinerea</i> but also exhibits strong inhibitory activity against <i>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</i>. Moreover, Res@HMSN@ZIF-8 can be absorbed by the stomata of tobacco leaves and subsequently translocated to the tobacco plant. RNA sequencing results indicate that Res@HMSN@ZIF-8 can upregulate defense-related gene expression in tobacco plants, thereby indirectly enhancing the antifungal activity of the plant hosts. The construction of such a microenvironment-responsive fungicide nanoplatform establishes an innovative strategy for managing <i>B. cinerea</i>, which provides a new design paradigm for the application of nanopesticides in sustainable agriculture.

Sutures, as essential surgical devices, are predominantly fabricated from melt-spun aliphatic polyesters. However, conventional sutures lack critical biological functionalities, particularly reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and antibacterial properties, which are vital for promoting wound healing across different stages. To address this limitation, we developed a dual-functional suture fiber by integrating ceria nanoparticles (CeNPs) into poly(lactic acid) (polylactic acid) via melt spinning, followed by surface coating with copper alginate. The crystalline structure induced by CeNPs, combined with the drawing process, ensured that the fiber's mechanical properties met the stringent demands of wound closure. The strategic incorporation of Ce within the fiber and Cu on the surface endowed the suture with time-dependent functionalities: sustained hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) scavenging for long-term ROS mitigation and early stage antibacterial activity to prevent infection. This dual functionality effectively reduced ROS-induced cellular damage and suppressed infectious inflammation, thereby accelerating wound healing. In vivo evaluations in subcutaneous, liver, spleen, stomach, and cecum implantation models demonstrated the individual and synergistic effects of Cu and Ce in alleviating inflammation and enhancing tissue regeneration. These findings underscore the potential of the dual-functional suture as a highly promising candidate for clinical applications in surgical procedures.

High-temperature photothermal therapy (PTT) is often hindered by collateral tissue damage and heat shock protein (HSP)-mediated thermo-resistance, necessitating the development of advanced materials for mild-temperature treatments. Herein, we propose an excited-state-engineered donor-dual-acceptor-donor (D-A-A-D) fluorophore that precisely balances radiative and nonradiative decay pathways through a mixed local-excitation/charge-transfer (LE/ICT) state. This molecular design endows the fluorophore with strong fluorescence, efficient photoacoustic (PA) response, and a high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 42.7%). To enable biological application, we employed an interfacial assembly strategy to integrate this hydrophobic fluorophore with carbonyl-functionalized Prussian Blue (PB) particles, yielding the PB@ATTTO-CO nanoplatform. This hybrid system exhibits dual-organelle (nucleus/mitochondria) targeting. Upon laser irradiation and tumor-microenvironment (TME) stimulation, the nanoplatform triggers controlled CO release, which effectively suppresses HSP70 expression and sensitizes tumor cells to low-temperature hyperthermia. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate precise FL/PA imaging-guided tumor ablation with minimal systemic toxicity. This work establishes a general principle for integrating excited-state molecular engineering with inorganic colloidal platforms, providing a blueprint for next-generation multimodal phototheranostic materials.

Efficient charge separation and robust surface catalytic activity at the semiconductor/transition-metal oxyhydroxide/electrolyte (SC/TMOOH/ELC) interface are pivotal for high-performance photoelectrodes. However, these two processes occur over a wide time scale ranging from 10^-6 to 100 s, meaning achieving matched and ideal active interfaces simultaneously remains a significant challenge. Here, we report a cobalt porphyrin (CoPy) coordinated out-of-plane with imidazole-2-carbaldehyde (denoted as CoPy@I-2-C) loaded between SC and TMOOH via axial coordination engineering. This CoPy@I-2-C can concurrently regulate interfacial charge transfer and surface catalytic reaction dynamics. As expected, the optimized BiVO₄/CoPy@I-2-C/FeNiOOH photoanode displays an impressive photocurrent density of 6.40 mA/cm² at 1.23 V_RHE, along with excellent stability. In situ scanning photoelectrochemical microscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that CoPy@I-2-C, acting as an "interface activator", influences the SC/TMOOH and TMOOH/ELC interfaces through an electron-rich porphyrin ring and downward shifted d-band center of Co sites. Furthermore, this engineering can be applied to the TiO₂/CoPy@I-2-C/FeNiOOH photoanode system, demonstrating universality. This work offers a perspective on active interface modulation for constructing highly efficient photoanodes for water splitting.

Self-assembling protein nanoparticles (NPs) offer a versatile platform to enhance antigen immunogenicity through a multivalent display. <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (Kp) is a critical multidrug-resistant pathogen for which no licensed vaccine exists, posing a significant global health threat. This study aimed to develop and evaluate protein nanoparticle-based vaccine candidates presenting MrkA, a highly conserved type 3 fimbrial subunit and promising Kp vaccine target, to elicit robust protective immune responses. We genetically fused MrkA to four distinct self-assembling protein nanoparticle scaffolds: <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> ferritin, <i>Thermotoga maritima</i> encapsulin, computationally designed mI3, and <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> dodecin. The resulting MrkA-NPs were expressed and purified, and their structural integrity was confirmed by electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These constructs were then evaluated for their immunogenicity in animal models. All MrkA-displaying NPs significantly enhanced MrkA-specific IgG responses, eliciting significantly higher antibody titers compared to recombinant MrkA. Importantly, passive transfer of immune sera from rabbits immunized with MrkA-dodecin NP conferred significant protection against a lethal Kp challenge, resulting in 90% survival compared to the control group. Our findings confirmed the ability of NPs to significantly enhance the immune responses against a bacterial protein such as MrkA, confirming their potential as transformative tools in vaccine development. This study also offers promising results for the development of a vaccine against Kp, addressing antimicrobial resistance and improving global health.

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are promising for physiological signal detection and neuromorphic computing, yet their practical applications have been constrained by the difficulty of simultaneously achieving high transconductance and mechanical stretchability. In this work, we report a stretchable OECT platform based on a highly conductive polymer/thermoplastic polymer/metal nanowire hybrid electrode, a mechanically robust ultrathick PEDOT/PSS active layer, and a dual-cation ion gel electrolyte. Through this integrated materials and device-level design, the optimized OECT achieves a transconductance of up to 207.2 mS while retaining approximately 62% of its transconductance under 100% tensile strain. Representative electrocardiogram and electromyogram measurements are employed as validation experiments to demonstrate stable signal amplification under realistic, motion-rich conditions. In parallel, the same OECT platform is used to verify low-voltage neuromorphic and mechano-synaptic behaviors, operating at gate voltages as low as 100 mV even under large mechanical deformation. Rather than introducing new sensing or computing paradigms, this work demonstrates that careful codesign of materials and device geometry can mitigate conventional trade-offs in stretchable OECTs, providing a practical foundation for future deformable bioelectronic and neuromorphic systems.

Quantum dots (QDs) serve as efficient color-conversion materials in display technologies owing to their high quantum yield and narrow emission spectra. However, planar QD films often exhibit limited light extraction efficiency and weak light-matter interactions, thereby restricting their overall color-conversion performance. In this paper, we propose a strategy based on nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) for fabricating color-conversion thin films of CdSe/ZnS QDs incorporating ultrathin metasurface structures. The QDs are embedded in a high-refractive-index (1.98@442 nm) dielectric resin cured by ultraviolet light, forming nanostructures that simultaneously function as emitters and resonators. By carefully engineering the metasurface geometry, the structures are designed to support photonic modes overlapping with the QD absorption band, thereby enabling a strong photoluminescence (PL) enhancement via resonant coupling. Compared with planar QD films, the imprinted structures achieve a pronounced 3.8-fold increase in emission intensity, accompanied by an enhanced Purcell factor from 1.173 to 1.955. This study demonstrates that NIL provides a versatile and scalable route for integration QDs into high-refractive-index nanophotonic architectures, enabling efficient light-matter interactions. The approach offers a promising pathway toward large-scale, high-performance color-conversion devices for next-generation display applications.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by oral microbial dysbiosis and dysregulated host immunity, in which <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> (Pg) and its lysine-specific gingipain (Kgp) are key pathogenic factors. Although immune targeting of Kgp holds promise for interrupting disease progression, inefficient transmucosal antigen delivery and limited dendritic cell (DC) activation hinder effective mucosal and humoral immune responses. Here, we report a sublingual mucosal nanovaccine based on tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) for precise DC-directed immunomodulation. The vaccine integrates a DC-targeting aptamer, a Kgp-specific antigenic peptide (KAS1), and Cytosine-phosphate-guanine oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODNs) adjuvant within a programmable tFNAs scaffold and is embedded in a biodegradable mixed polyethylene glycol-based (MixPEG) hydrogel to enable spatially controlled assembly and sustained sublingual delivery. Leveraging the intrinsic transmucosal transport capability of tFNAs and the bioadhesive properties of the hydrogel, this system achieves noninvasive sublingual administration and efficient uptake by local DCs, inducing notable Kgp-specific immune responses. In a murine periodontitis model, sublingual immunization enhances salivary IgA production, suppresses Pg colonization, attenuates periodontal inflammation, and mitigates alveolar bone loss, representing a potentially promising strategy for periodontitis.

Hybrid halide perovskites exhibit remarkable defect tolerance, yet the microscopic origin of this resilience and its limits remain debated. In this work, we employ a combined approach of finite-temperature molecular dynamics and enhanced-sampling metadynamics to investigate the atomistic formation and evolution of Frenkel defects in the prototypical MAPbI₃ lattice. By inducing local perturbations in the stoichiometric crystal, we reconstruct the free-energy profiles and mechanistic pathways for the formation and evolution of defects for all three constituent species. Our results reveal a fundamental difference in the material's defect physics. For the monovalent species (iodine and methylammonium), the soft lattice facilitates rapid self-healing via concerted exchange and direct recombination, effectively suppressing the accumulation of isolated defects. Conversely, for the lead sublattice, the initial perturbation triggers an irreversible structural relaxation into a stable double antisite complex (<i>Pb</i>_MA + <i>MA</i>_Pb), which acts as a deep thermodynamic trap. Large-scale simulations confirm these findings, demonstrating that mobile monovalent defects have a larger interaction range and tend to spontaneously recombine due to short-range instability; while the less mobile lead-based antisites persist as the most energetically favorable separated defect state. These findings provide a mechanistic rationale for the intrinsic self-healing capability of the hybrid framework while identifying the pairs of lead-molecule antisites as the critical bottleneck for long-term electronic stability.

Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) plasmonic metasurfaces provide a powerful platform for enhancing light-matter interactions; however, achieving simultaneous spectral tunability, fabrication reproducibility, and ultrasensitive detection remains a challenge. Here, we present the rational design, simulation, and lithographic fabrication of three distinct MIM metasurfaces (bowtie, honeycomb, and nanotriangle) optimized for plasmon-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (PERS). Finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulations reveal localized surface plasmon resonances with electric field enhancement factors (EF) exceeding <i>|E|</i>^<i>2</i> ∼ 1600, supported by experimental reflection spectra and the fidelity of nanofabrication. Raman sensing of molecular probes (<i>R6G</i>, <i>4-ATP</i>, <i>4-CTP</i>) demonstrates analytical enhancement factors reaching 10⁷ and detection limits as low as ∼10^-15 M. This is made possible by the designed nanogap resonances, and the broadband localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) overlap with the excitation and scattering bands. Our findings establish the lithographically defined MIM metasurfaces as reliable, tunable, and ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) platforms, making them suitable for next-generation portable chemical and biological sensing systems.

Protein lipoengineering is a promising approach for programming biomolecular assembly and function, yet its use has remained confined to biologically inert lipids. Here, we repurpose the hedgehog autoprocessing domain as a biocatalyst to install the anticancer sterol abiraterone as a noncanonical post-translational modification (ncPTM) on an intrinsically disordered protein scaffold. Artificial abirateronylation produced protein-drug conjugates (PDCs) with significantly enhanced solubility, tunable phase behavior, and dynamic self-association. The conjugates underwent slow hydrolytic release of abiraterone and reproduced the cytotoxic response of the free drug in prostate-cancer cells, achieving more uniform activity and distributions in 3D tumor spheroids. By extending this approach to a second steroidal prostate-cancer agent, galeterone, we demonstrate a generalizable ncPTM strategy for exploiting native lipidation machinery to construct molecularly defined, programmable protein-drug therapeutics.

Herein, a dual-interface engineering strategy that introduces polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) interlayers at the upper and lower interfaces of the indium phosphide (InP) quantum dot (QD) emissive layer is proposed. This strategy aims to address the critical challenges of emissive layer dissolution and charge injection imbalance in all-solution-processed inverted quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QDLEDs). The PVP interlayer at the interface with the QD/hole transport layer effectively suppresses QD dissolution during subsequent solution processing, forming a stable and homogeneous emissive layer. The underlying PVP layer at the electron transport layer/QD interface modulates the electron-hole injection balance and reduces leakage current pathways. The influence of the PVP interlayers on charge transport characteristics and surface morphology was systematically investigated via single-carrier device analysis and atomic force microscopy measurements. The incorporation of PVP interlayers considerably improves the device performance, increasing the external quantum efficiency, current efficiency, and power efficiency by ∼40%, 39%, and 63%, respectively. These findings indicate that PVP-based interface control can effectively enhance the structural stability and electrical performance of inverted InP light-emitting diodes.

Advanced material research has made wearable electronics one of the most active research areas, because their wearable applications offer real-time monitoring. Using the flexible substrate with compatible gas-sensing material in this paper, we report a flexible and room-temperature ammonia sensor based on a reduced graphene oxide - polyaniline (rGO-PANI) composite on a flexible paper substrate. This composite was made via an in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. Filter paper was used as a flexible substrate where rGO was first drop-cast on the paper, and then, the rGO paper polymerization was done by soaking the paper in it. The polymerization time is optimized to determine the impact on gas sensing performance; at 100 ppm, the maximum response occurred after 6 h of polymerization (42%). To improve the performance of the sensor, we further incorporated an optimized rGO amount; due to the synergetic behavior of both rGO and PANI, the response increased (93% for 100 ppm) with a decrease in the response and recovery time (18/127 s) as compared to the bare PANI@paper. The proposed flexible sensor can be utilized for various applications ranging from healthcare monitoring to environmental and domestic use simply because of its easy fabrication process, inexpensive nature, and high sensing performance.

Wearable thermoelectric energy harvesting has garnered significant attention owing to its potential for powering flexible and self-sustaining devices. A major challenge in this field is the design of ionogels that balance mechanical strength with high ionic conductivity. Current ionogels often compromise one of these properties, which limits their practical use in flexible electronics. Addressing this gap is critical for the advancement of wearable thermoelectric technologies. Herein, we present an ionogel fabrication method that embeds hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) fibers into a biocompatible poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix, which is then loaded with an ionic liquid (IL). This design significantly improved the mechanical properties of the ionogel by leveraging the reinforcing effect of the HPC fibers, which also created an IL-rich spherical structure through in situ microphase separation that promoted efficient ion migration. Ionogel-8515, which is the optimized formulation, exhibits superior performance, achieving an ionic conductivity of 36.79 mS cm^-1 and an ionic Seebeck coefficient of 2.783 mV K^-1, while maintaining excellent mechanical flexibility. Our results demonstrate that Ionogel-8515 not only meets the mechanical and conductive requirements for wearable applications but is also recyclable because of its reversible cross-linking network. This advancement bridges the current gap in ionogel design and offers a sustainable and efficient solution for future thermoelectric technologies.